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22 August 2007

boycotting Chinese products

As if we needed another reason to boycott Chinese products -- tainted toothpaste, pet food, and toys with lead paint just weren't enough...

From the Tibetan news website:

Latest threat from China: Toxic Clothes?

Here's a good reason to wash new clothes before putting them on infants and children: A New Zealand television station is reporting that "scientists found formaldehyde in woolen and cotton clothes at 500 times higher than is safe."

UK trading standards are on alert after Chinese-made clothes in New Zealand were discovered to have up to 900 times the safe level of formaldehyde in them. Formaldehyde is used to protect clothes that have to be shipped great distances against mildew. However, long-term exposure to high levels can be harmful, causing problems ranging from minor skin rashes to some types of cancer.

The latest safety alert over cheap Chinese goods was sounded in New Zealand. It has been passed on to trading standards officials in Britain.

"Any consumer worried about harm caused by clothes they have bought should contact the retailer or report their concerns to trading standards," a spokesman for the Government's new department for business, enterprise and regulatory reform said.


For more information you can visit the No More Made in China website


Find more photos like this on No More Made in China


and



Not China Made.net has a list of China-free shopping:

* American Apparel
* American Plastics Toys
* Blessed Nest
* Born Free Baby Products
* Buy American.com
* Corelle (Kitchen-ware)
* Crayola Crayons
* Holgatetoy
* ImagiPlay
* Justice Clothing
* Made In USA Products
* Maple and Mark
* Shop for America
* Still Made In USA .com
* Story Board Toys
* Toys Made In America
* Uncle Goose Toys
* US Made Toys
* Whittle Shortline Railroad
* Zebulon USA
* Zebulon USA- Toys

My reason for boycotting Chinese products is purely political -- I support a free Tibet. Mommy Zabs, who started Not China Made.net, says, "Not everyone may feel led to ban or boycott China. But I am asking you to be aware, read labels, pay attention to just how much we as parents buy from China. It’s alarming." I don't have children, but do it for yours.

I have always said, BE AWARE, READ LABELS, LIVE MINDFULLY. If you think one person can not affect change, you are wrong, and I will write about that at a later date.

So, yes, it IS possible not to buy products made in China if one shops mindfully and not automatically. Don't mindlessly hop over to Wal-Mart -- #3 on the Top Ten Corporate Villians of the Planet list -- just because it's "easy" or "cheap."

2 comments:

mommy zabs said...

Great post. thank you for quoting and linking. I like the boycott china site too.

Vanessa said...

Ditto. We deserve whatever we get as a nation if we continue to accept these tainted products. I have very little confidence when I shop now.

I'm going to blog about this and link to this post. Thanks.

Peace and Blssings...